IMAGE COMICS ROUNDUP

"It's in the vein of the classic TV show Mission: Impossible, or The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and somewhat inspired by the fantastic long running comic strip Modesty Blaise," Reed said. "The Circle is a group of freedom fighters that first formed amidst the horrible civil wars in the Baltics during the late 1990's, and today operate as guns for hire."

The first story arc, "The Goliath Trap" follows a stringer for M16 after stumbling into a continent spanning battle between The Circle and a rogue CIA assassin over a stolen nuclear missile train code-named Goliath.

In other Image news:

* Top Cow's Necromancer is returing in October's The Necromancer Pilot Season #1, from original writer Joshua Ortega and artist Jonboy Meyers, with a cover by original series artist Francis Manapul.

The issue picks up after the events in issue #6 of the original series, with Abby van Alstine investigating the events that brought her to this point. When she encounters a new monstrous evil that threatens to consume her, the story takes a turn towards a surprise ending.

"Necromancer is easily one of my favorite projects that I've ever worked on, and as I've said before, I've got about 50 issues planned for Abby and The Necromancer cast," Ortega said. "So if we get a great response from the fans during Pilot Season, that'll bring us that much closer to seeing her story through!"

* Writer/artists Jonathan Hickman, creator of The Nightly News, returns in November with a four-issue mini-series, Pax Romana.

"Pax Romana is probably not the book people expected next from me," Hickman said. "In many ways, it's a better end product than The Nightly News, and I think people will be pleasantly surprised at the evolution of both my storytelling and art. And sure, there is the obvious difference: The Nightly News was, more or less, grounded in a reality and Pax Romana is historical science fiction, but you're also going to find the same amount of research, hard work and passion -- just in a better package."

Pax Romana tells the tale of 5,000 men sent on an impossible mission to change the past and save the future. The first issue goes on sale on Nov. 28.

THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN UPDATE

Diskin, 25, has dozens of voiceover credits, including Numbuh 1 on Codename: Kids Next Door.

Brock's character is tweaked more than some in The Spectacular Spider-Man in order to tie in with the show's high-school time frame. He will be an assistant to Doctor Connors in the series and has more direct ties with Peter Parker.

Brock will become Venom before season's end and be a major threat to Spider-Man. Like the previous animated series on Fox, this version of Venom won't be tied to the comic book's Secret Wars.

In other casting news, Peter MacNicol is providing the voice of Doctor Octopus and Vanessa Marshall is providing the voice of Mary Jane.

Look for more animation news on Thursday here in The Continuum.

NOVEMBER SOLICITATIONS ROUNDUP

For previously published solicitations for November, click on the publishers' names below.

* Saturday, August 11: From Wizard World Chicago -- DCU panel, Marvel's Cup O' Joe panel and Mark Millar/Bryan Hitch on Fantastic Four and DC's Vertigo panel; Heroes, Who Wants To Be A Super Hero? and Image Comics' The Overman.